38. (Vers. 22.). The next day, the crowd that stood beyond the sea; stood, I say, in expectation: whence they could say that word of Peter, Matthew seventeen: "Lord, it is good for us to be here"; therefore they had not immediately departed; beyond the sea, where, namely, they had been fed. Saw, through consideration, according to that saying: "I have given you a wise and understanding heart." Saw that there was no other boat there but one, in which, namely, Jesus could have crossed over, nor did he cross in that one. And, saw — supply — that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but only the disciples had departed. And because they did not find him, they believed he had crossed over miraculously; and they wished to seek him and were able to, because boats had arrived. Therefore he adds:
39. (Vers. 23.). But other boats came from Tiberias, from the city after which that lake was named; near the place where they had eaten the bread, giving thanks to God, because thus one ought to eat.
40. (Vers. 24.). When therefore the crowd had seen that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples: and they themselves had come on account of Jesus: they boarded the boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus: they sought him therefore because he had fed them in his presence, according to that saying of Sirach: "They who eat me shall yet hunger." On wood they sought him who wrought salvation, according to that saying of Wisdom fourteen: "Men entrust their souls to a small piece of wood, and crossing the sea on a raft, are delivered."
41. (Vers. 25.). And when they had found him, etc. Here is touched upon the second point, namely the correction of those seeking inordinately. For the Jews seek Jesus, and having found him, put a question to him; therefore he says: And when they had found him across the sea, they who had not seen him cross over: they said to him: Rabbi, when did you come here? They ask out of wonder, not knowing how he had come; and they inquire curiously about the time, just as the disciples, Matthew twenty-four: "Tell us, when shall these things be?" And the Lord does not respond to the inquiry, but to the intention of those seeking inordinately. Therefore he adds:
42. (Vers. 26.). Jesus answered and said: Amen, amen I say to you: You seek me, not because you saw the signs, which I performed, so that through the signs you might come to faith, and thus you seek nothing spiritual, but carnal:
but because of my loaves, that is, multiplied by me, you ate and were filled. And this is what the carnal Jews were seeking, namely the satiation of the body, just as their fathers also: Exodus 16: "Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat over the pots of flesh and ate bread to satiety." And because they were seeking in a disordered manner, therefore the Lord directs and orders them.
43. (Vers. 27.). Work, that is, seek laboriously, not for the food which perishes, that is, carnal food: because First Corinthians 6: "Food for the belly, and the belly for food; but God will destroy both it and them"; Matthew 15: "Everything that enters the mouth goes into the belly," etc.; but for the food which endures unto eternal life, that is, spiritual food. This food is the Word of God, which endures forever: whence in Isaiah 40 it is said: "The Word of the Lord abides forever"; and therefore it gives eternal life; below in the same chapter: "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." Christ gives this food; therefore he says: Which the Son of man will give you, as the good shepherd: below in chapter 10: "If anyone enters through me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out, and will find pasture." And he shows that it belongs to him to give this food: For him God the Father has sealed: he sealed, by the sign of his testimony he showed him to be his Son, who is able to give life and food: Matthew 3, at the baptism: "This is my beloved Son."
Or: he sealed, that is, by his own sign he distinguished from others, so that he might be singular and "holding the primacy in all things." For the Father distinguished Christ by a threefold distinction, namely by the union of the Word, above in chapter 1: "The Word was made flesh"; by the fullness of gifts, above in chapter 3: "God does not give the Spirit by measure"; by immunity from sin, above in chapter 1: "Behold the Lamb of God; behold him who takes away the sins of the world." This sealing was prefigured in Haggai, the last chapter: "I will take you, Zerubbabel, my servant, says the Lord, and I will set you as a signet ring; because I have chosen you, says the Lord of hosts." By Zerubbabel is understood Christ; therefore concerning the lamb, Exodus 13: "It shall be as a sign in your hand."
44. (Vers. 28.). They said therefore: What shall we do, etc. Here the third point is touched upon, namely the instruction of those who doubt: for not understanding Christ's correction, they begin to doubt and to inquire. On account of this he says: They said therefore to him, namely the Jews: What shall we do, that we may work the works of God? Therefore they were asking about the work, because through it they wished to come to refreshment. For this is the order: Second Thessalonians, the last chapter: "He who does not labor, let him not eat"; Proverbs 12: "He who works his land will be filled with bread." And the Lord instructs those who are seeking; whence he adds:
45. (Vers. 29.). Jesus answered and said to them, namely to those asking and doubting: This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he sent. This is the work that is good, the principle of all good works, since it is said in Hebrews 11: "Without faith it is impossible to please God." He who wishes to work well ought to begin from faith: Genesis 15: "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness."
46. (Vers. 30.). They said therefore to him etc. Here the fourth point is touched upon, namely the humiliation of those who despise and are proud: for they did not wish to believe in Christ through the signs which they had seen, as if their fathers had seen greater signs. Therefore they say: What sign therefore do you perform, that we may see and believe you? For the Hebrews do not believe unless they see signs: 1 Corinthians 1: "Jews seek signs." What do you work? As if they were saying: what great thing have you done? What you have done is little in comparison to what was done in the desert.
47. (Vers. 31.). Our fathers ate manna in the desert, not barley bread, but heavenly bread; whence they also add: As it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat. It is written in the Psalm: "Man ate the bread of Angels; he sent them provisions in abundance." Thus they were puffed up about the miracle shown to their fathers, despising the miracle of Christ; and the Lord humbles them by showing that that Scripture was not fulfilled through Moses, but is fulfilled through himself. Therefore he adds:
48. (Vers. 32.). Jesus therefore says to them: Amen, amen I say to you: Moses did not give you bread from heaven, as that Scripture speaks; not, I say,
truly, but typologically, because, as is said in 1 Corinthians 10, "all things happened to them in figure." But my Father gives you the true bread from heaven: and therefore we ask from him: "Give us this day our supersubstantial bread," Matthew 6. And he gives the reason for this:
49. (Vers. 33.). For the true bread is that which descends from heaven and gives life to the world: and this bread was not the manna, but Christ: below in chapter 10: "I came that they may have life and have it more abundantly." To descend from heaven, this is to come into flesh; whence Augustine says: "The Word, which was the bread of Angels, when it descended into flesh, was turned into milk for little ones."
Questions.
50. Question I. There is a question about what he says: You seek me, not because you saw signs.
To the contrary: Above in the same chapter: A great multitude followed him, because they saw signs etc.
I respond: It must be said that this contradiction is resolved in two ways: in one way by reference to different times: because those same ones who first followed on account of signs, afterwards, having been fed, followed on account of food. In another way it is resolved by reference to different persons: because both are true: for some followed on account of signs, some on account of food.
Hence it should be noted that there were five reasons why some followed the Lord, which are contained in these verses:
Sickness, signs, food, blasphemy, doctrine were
The reasons why the crowd followed the Lord.
51. Question II. Likewise, there is a question about what he says: Work not for the food that perishes. Chrysostom asks: whether a man ought to work for bodily food?
It seems that he should not:
By this text.